Health and social conditions of children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the city of Rome, Italy.

Abstract

The number of children living in socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in developed countries is constantly growing, resulting in important implications for children's development, physical and psychological health and increased future disparities. In this study, we explored several key elements of children living in poor neighborhoods, such as demographic characteristics, access to public health assistance and school, and availability of housing and basic hygienic conditions. The study included 711 children aged 0-17 years referring to primary care services in the suburbs of the city of Rome, Italy. Most children were born in Italy, while almost none of their parents were. Nearly 60% of the children did not have access to basic pediatric care, causing possible misdiagnosis and delayed treatment for acute and chronic conditions. A smaller percentage of the children did not have access to basic housing (8%) and hygienic facilities, such as heating, running water, and refrigerator (3.2%), leading to malnutrition, isolation and poor physical and psychological development. This study confirms a critical condition for children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, whose vulnerability is further worsened by the limited access to paediatric health assistance and, in some cases, to basic facilities with a severe impact on their physical and psychological development.